MONTIETH BECOMES FIRST CENTRAL PA REPEAT WINNER IN 410 SPRINTS

lincoln speedway

From Lincoln

ABBOTTSTOWN, PA, 4/9/2011 – Brian Montieth continues to find new ways to amaze.

The driver known as “the Edge” actually saw just about every square inch of the Lincoln 3/8’s mile in coming from 15th starting spot to claim his second win of the year in the 25-lap “410” sprint car feature at Lincoln Speedway Saturday night.

“It seemed like it would ever end,” said Montieth upon exiting his Premier Auto Works/Auto Locator #21 in victory lane, “Starting back there in 15th…the track was narrow…it’s hard to get up through without being dirty. I really didn’t think I was going to this, and I picked someone else to win this tonight.”

Arizona wingless transplant Derek Sell grabbed the lead from the pole and led the first 13 laps. It was on the 13th lap that he and fifth-starting Justin Collett banged wheels coming off turn four. Thought both drivers righted their cars at speed, seventh-starting Brad McClelland zipped around Collett for second entering turn one. A lap later, Collett came to a stop on the front stretch.

McClelland made short work of Sell on the restart, grabbing the lead coming off the second turn.

Caution flags for Cory Haas, Brian Leppo, Jim Siegel, and Fred Rahmer on lap seven, Adam Wilt and Adam Lawrence on lap nine, and then Rahmer and Mike Bittinger on lap 11 helped Montieth work his way up to fourth by the end of the 15th lap.

McClelland’s lead was nearly two seconds when Montieth caught Chad Criswell for third on lap 16, and still more than a second when Montieth drove under Sell for second on lap 17.

Montieth pulled the slider and grabbed the lead in turns three and four of lap 21, but McClelland had the lead back by the flag stand. Another slider in the same turns on lap 23 gave Montieth the lead for good, and he drove away over the final two laps to a 2.04-second win, his second of the year and 22nd of his Lincoln career.

“It was a morale booster for us,” continued Montieth, “We’ve been struggling bad…we’ve been junk and had bad luck. We’re still searching, and happened to pick one up tonight.”

McClelland settled for second, with Alan Krimes coming from 14th-starting spot to cross third, Sell settling for fourth, and Aaron Ott fifth. Sixth through tenth were Greg Hodnett, Criswell, Doug Dodson, Brent Marks, and Rahmer.

Heats for the 25 “410” Sprints were won by Chad Criswell, Derek Sell, and Doug Dodson, with Pat Cooper winning the consolation.

Billy Dietrich found his way through a lap three 17-car melee to claim his first win of the year in the “358” sprint car feature. Dietrich, who started 12th, was the only car behind the front four to get through a pile-up which blocked the track and brought out the red flag in turns three and four of lap three. The four cars at the front were the only other ones not involved in the crash. Thirteenth-starting Kyle Moody also cleared the crash, but dropped into the pits with a flat tire.

Dietrich lined up fifth behind early-race leader Brie Hershey, Tim Wagaman, Steve Owings, and Doug Hammaker for the fourth-lap restart, advanced to third by lap seven, too second from Wagaman on lap 10, and caught Steve Owings for the race lead on lap 14.

He led the rest of the way, with Owings settling for second, Wagaman crossing third, Doug Hammaker fourth, and Chad Trout fifth. Sixth through tenth were Niki Young, Glenndon Forsythe, hard charger Mike Duncan, Jr., Moody, and Michael Ruttkamp.

Heats for the 32 “358” Sprints were won by Owings, Doug Hammaker, Brook Weibley, and Jeff Rohrbaugh, with Eric Tomecek winning the consolation.

Hanover’s Sam Gallagher charged from his 11th starting spot to pass Brian Walls on the 16th lap for the lead and then held off three challengers in a one-lap dash to the checkered to pick up his second win of 2011 in the 20-lap Thundercar feature.

Outside frontrow starter Todd Miller led polesitter Jamie Zentmyer at the start and led the first nine laps before eighth-starting Brian Walls took over the top spot on lap 10.

Gallagher entered the top-three on the 11th lap and moved into second behind Walls on lap 12. Gallagher made his race-winning move on the 16th lap and held on for a 1.2-second win over Zentmyer in the one-lap dash to the checkered.

The win was Gallagher’s 18th career Lincoln win and placed him in a tie for 10th on the Thundercar all time win list with Bobby Beard.

Kyle Martin, Brian Walls, and Miller completed the top five, with Jimmy Combs, Roy Warehime, Justin Bittle, Mikey Guise, and Rick Weaver rounding out the top ten.

Heats for the 23 “Thundercars were won by Kyle Martin, Jamie Zentmyer, and Sam Gallagher.

Next Saturday, April 16th, Lincoln Speedway will switch to 7 PM starts with a 3-division show featuring the 410 Sprints, 358 Sprints, and Central PA Legends. Gates will open at 5 PM.

To get all the latest news, results, schedule changes and rule changes, visit Lincoln Speedway’s website at http://www.lincolnspeedway.com to stay up-to-date on all the action or pending weather conditions at Central Pennsylvania’s “Premier” Saturday night race track – The Fabulous Lincoln Speedway.

RACE RESULTS
Saturday, April 9, 2011
LINCOLN SPEEDWAY
Abbottstown, PA
LAWRENCE CHEVROLET 410 SPRINTS
Feature (25-Laps) – 1. 21-Brian Montieth ($3,200); 2. 6-Brad McClelland; 3. 87-Alan Krimes; 4. 20S-Derek Sell; 5. 77-Aaron Ott; 6. 39-Greg Hodnett; 7. 84C-Chad Criswell; 8. 14-Doug Dodson; 9. 19M-Brent Marks; 10. 51-Fred Rahmer; 11. 16-Gerard McIntrye Jr.; 12. 59-Jimmy Siegel; 13. 4-John Rudisill; 14. 5-Adam Lawrence; 15. 23-Todd Rittenhouse Jr.; 16. 26-Pat Cooper (DNF); 17. 92-Justin Collett (DNF); 18. 12-Mike Bittinger (DNF); 19. 22-Bryn Gohn (DNF); 20. 15-Adam Wilt (DNF); 21. 48-Danny Dietrich (DNF); 22. 11C-Cory Haas (DNF); 23. 71-Brian Leppo (DNF); 24. 44-Frank Cozze (DNF). No Time

Lap Leaders – Derek Sell (1-13), Brad McClelland (14-22), Brian Montieth (23-25)

1st Heat (10 Laps/6 to qualify) – 1. 84C-Chad Criswell; 2. 39-Greg Hodnett; 3. 71-Brian Leppo; 4. 11C-Cory Haas; 5. 15-Adam Wilt; 6. 19M-Brent Marks; 7. 26-Pat Cooper; 8. 10-Zach Euculano; 9. 4-John Rudisill (DNF). No Time

2nd Heat (10 Laps/6 to qualify) – 1. 20S-Derek Sell; 2. 6-Brad McClellan; 3. 77-Aaron Ott; 4. 48-Danny Dietrich; 5. 87-Alan Krimes; 6. 5-Adam Lawrence; 7. 12-Mike Bittinger; 8. 22-Bryn Gohn. Time – 2:20.482

3rd Heat (10 Laps/6 to qualify) – 1. 14-Doug Dodson; 2. 92-Justin Collett; 3. 51-Fred Rahmer; 4. 59-Jimmy Siegel; 5. 21-Brian Montieth; 6. 16-Gerard McIntyre, Jr.; 7. 23-Todd Rittenhouse, Jr.; 8. 44-Frank Cozze. Time – 2:20.075

Consolation (10 Laps/6 to qualify) – 1. 26-Pat Cooper; 2. 12-Mike Bittinger; 3. 23-Todd Rittenhouse Jr.; 4. 4-John Rudisill; 5. 22-Bryn Gohn; 6. 44-Frank Cozze; 7. 10-Zach Euculano. No Time

KEIZER ALUMINUM WHEELS 358 SPRINTS
Feature (20-Laps) – 1. 8-Billy Dietrich; 2. 35-Steve Owings; 3. 45T-Tim Wagaman; 4. 66H-Doug Hammaker; 5. 7C-Chad Trout; 6. 65-Niki Young; 7. 5T-Glenndon Forsythe; 8. 11D-Mike Duncan Jr.; 9. 99M-Kyle Moody; 10. 8R-Michael Ruttkamp; 11. 97-Brie Hershey; 12. 10W-Cris Eash; 13. B52-Brook Weibley; 14. 66-Dale Hammaker; 15. 7-JB Cunningham; 16. 16-Aaron Spahr; 17. 28-Keith Prutzman (DNF); 18. 50-Tim Berkheimer (DNF); 19. 85-Nathan Berwager (DNF); 20. 45-Jeff Rohrbaugh (DNF); 21. 23B-Billy Pauch, Jr. (DNF); 22. 91-Adrian Shaffer (DNF); 23. 1W-Eric Tomecek (DNF); 24. 21-Scott Fisher (DNF). No time.

Lap Leaders – Brie Hershey (1-4), Tim Wagaman (5), Steve Owings (6-13), Billy Dietrich (14-20)

1st Heat (10 Laps/5 qualify) – 1. 35-Steve Owings; 2. 97-Brie Hershey; 3. 7C-Chad Trout; 4. 99M-Kyle Moody; 5. 85-Nathan Berwager; 6. 7-JB Cunningham; 7. 1W-Eric Tomecek; 8. 19Z-Isaac Sneeringer. Time – 2:24.38

2nd Heat (10 Laps/5 qualify)- 1. 66H-Doug Hammaker; 2. 21-Scott Fisher; 3. 23B-Billy Pauch, Jr.; 4. 5T-Glenndon Forsythe; 5. 8R-Michael Ruttkamp; 6. 11D-Mike Duncan, Jr.; 7. 66-Dale Hammaker (DNF); 8. 7V-Mike Ressler (DNF). No Time

3rd Heat (10 Laps/5 qualify) – 1. B52-Brook Weibley; 2. 45T-Tim Wagaman; 3. 10W-Cris Eash; 4. 65-Niki Young; 5. 16-Aaron Spahr; 6. 0-Steve Storrie; 7. 74-Dwayne Morris; 8. 42-Alan Spriggle (DNF). No Time

4th Heat (10 Laps/5 qualify) – 1. 45-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 2. 8-Billy Dietrich; 3. 50-Tim Berkheimer; 4. 91-Adrian Shaffer; 5. 28-Keith Prutzman; 6. 67-Jason Cherry; 7. 69-Travis Willow (DNF); 8. 44-Rodney Westhafer (DNF). Time – 2:23.90

Consolation (10 Laps/4 qualify) – 1. 1W-Eric Tomecek; 2. 66-Dale Hammaker; 3. 7-JB Cunningham; 4. 11D-Mike Duncan, Jr.; 5. 67-Jason Cherry; 6. 44-Rodney Westhafer; 7. 19Z-Isaac Sneeringer; 8. 0-Steve Storrie; 9. 74-Dwayne Morris; 10. 69-Travis Willow; 11. 7V-Mike Ressler (DNF); DNS: 42-Alan Spriggle. No time.